Magill: Interpretation is Title IX problem

Posted: Sunday, May 09, 2010

By Dan Magill

The Banner-Herald recently carried a front-page story about how the University of Georgia may add another women's sport to meet the requirements of the federal Title IX law that gives equal opportunity to women in collegiate sports ("UGA eyes new sport for women," April 25).

There's nothing wrong with the original intent of Title IX. Women absolutely should have "equal opportunity." But part of the misinterpretation of Title IX was citing the fact that collegiate football teams averaged about 85 scholarships on the squad, and therefore other men's sports were reduced in numbers to help the women have the same grand total of scholarships as men. For example, men's tennis teams were reduced from eight full scholarships to 4.5 scholarships, and women remained at eight full scholarships. That's unfair to men.

Ironically, the income derived annually from football receipts helps finance all men's and women's sports at most colleges in the United States.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association now requires all of its member schools to award scholarships in the following ways:

But, women have four sports at the University of Georgia that men don't have: equestrian, with an NCAA standard of 15 scholarships; soccer with 14 scholarships; volleyball with 12 scholarships, and gymnastics, also with 12 scholarships.

I'm certainly in favor of equal opportunity for women in collegiate sports. My wife gave me two daughters, and only one son.

 Former University of Georgia men's tennis coach Dan Magill is an Athens Banner-Herald contributing columnist.